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Cheyenne Faircloth

Handspun Literary Agency

My Manuscript Wish List®

Hello! My name is Cheyenne (she/her). I’m most interested in manuscripts from historically excluded communities, i.e. queer, BIPOC, AAPI, neurodivergent, and disabled voices.

My interests include horror, speculative fiction, and stories with folkloric and atmospheric elements.

I am not currently accepting middle grade, picture books, contemporary YA, or nonfiction.

Fantasy and Speculative Fiction (both YA and Adult) 

  • Romantasy (this has to be really high concept, a single-line pitch, and I prefer the grittier stuff in this space)
  • Cozy fantasy (ie Sangu Mandanna, T. Kingfisher, Heather Fawcett)
  • Queer!!!!
  • Romantic sub plot always a plus!
  • Southern Gothic (think Summer Sons By Lee Mandelo, or a darker version of The Raven Cycle. I would really love something set in the American South (or the equivalent of that) told through a marginalized lens–a swampy and haunting and magical/speculative story).
  • Well-grounded magic systems and/or world building (Xiran Jay Zhao, Holly Black, Leigh Bardugo, Martha Wells, Hannah Kaner, T. Kingfisher, M. L. Wang).
  • Writing that feels folkloric/atmospheric (Naomi Novik, Katherine Arden, Emily Tesh, Heather Fawcett).
  • Dark/gothic fantasies with romantic elements (Ava Reid, S.T. Gibson). 
  • Monster romance (something that feels elevated, like John Wiswell, repeated under “romance”).
  • Stories that pull inspiration from non-western mythology. 
  • Fresh takes on mermaids, vampires, werewolves (not just western interpretations/myths, and preferably through a queer lens).
  • Stories firmly rooted in place/culture.
  • Feminist retellings of myth. 
  • Stories that challenge sexuality/gender norms (this goes for all genres and age groups).
  • Polyamorous relationships (PLEASE!!)

Horror (open to adult or YA)

  • I would really love INDIGENOUS AND NATIVE STORIES/VOICES in this space (in every genre listed here, really, but I have a special place in my heart for horror atm)
  • the intensity of the voice should be on a line level.
  • Explorations of family dynamics, and/or an emotional core at the center of the story, ie. The Haunting of Hill House and Bly Manor
  • Dark academia (something like Babel by R. F. Kuang)–would LOVE to have a magical school set in the American South, or set outside of America entirely, (Oxford has been done A LOT, but I’m open to this setting if done right!)
  • Characters with complicated relationships with religion (think Hell Followed With Us by Andrew Jospeh White).
  • stories with a deeper messages, engaging with current issues (racism, sexism, misogyny, etc.)

Fun facts about me:

  • One of my favorite songs is “Malhari” from Bajirao Mastani. You can’t listen to this song and not dance.
  • My first jobs as an editor were on Ao3, and I have a huge respect (and love) for fan-fiction writers.

Submission Guidelines

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Please fill out this form on Query Manager:

https://querymanager.com/query/HandspunLit

Guidelines & Details

Vital Info